Split/Second dev Black Rock to close

"Disney Interactive Studios confirms that Black Rock Studios' current project has not been greenlit for further development, consequently the company informed employees yesterday of the intent to enter a consultation process on the proposal to close the studios," wrote Disney in a statement offered to Eurogamer.

Original story: Black Rock Studios, the Brighton-based developer of racing games Pure and Split/Second, is to be completely closed by Disney, Eurogamer can reveal.

A "reduction in workforce" happened earlier this year that left 40 staff positions intact. But Disney told the workforce yesterday, in the 'Town Hall' [internal slang for a company meeting I've now discovered -Ed], that the entire studio is now to be closed.

One anonymous source told Eurogamer that Disney handled Black Rock clumsily, outsourcing games to other companies that the Brighton studio was more than capable of producing.

The source also bemoaned the lack of advertising for recommended racing games Pure and Split/Second.

Nevertheless, from the ashes of Black Rock Studio have arisen new studios: Roundcube Entertainment, lead by Split/Second director Nick Baynes; ShortRound Games, formed by a quartet of previous Black Rock department directors; and BossAlien, fronted by Pure director Jason Avent.

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